Truthseeking

Late Nights

Gaz stared at the game console that sat in her hands, looking over the start screen. 

She pressed the play button without much thought, it was basically muscle memory at this point. 

Her hands seemed to fly effortlessly over the screen, allowing her mind to wander as the game progressed. 

The house was quiet, apart from the quiet buzz of her gameslave two at least. 

It wasn't unusual, her father wasn't around much anymore. Too busy with his work. 

But she guessed was used to hearing the humming from her brother's computers and his loud monologues he'd vow to no one but himself. 

It was nice, not having to hear his annoying loud voice, it reminded her of the various other days he'd spent out. 

It wasn't common, but not uncommon either, for Dib to not come home until very late, or sometimes, not till morning. 

She'd never paid too much attention to what he did on those nights, whether it be hunting some weird Cryptid, ghost, or gazing up into the stars with his laptop, searching with his glassed eyes for alien life. 

Or of course, chasing the alien life he'd found. 

Considering recent events, it was probably the last factor. 

Though, she had a feeling it wasn't quite chasing. The room she'd walked into least morning wasn't hostile at all, dare she say the opposite. 

The bandages on his bed, that were also dressed along Zim's undisguised green body, and the way Dib had swept in when she asked about what happened to him. 

She wasn't at all sure what happened between the two, but considering the burnt green skin, and the worried glances, she knew it was something.. Different for them. 

It could've been a fight, it wasn't too far-fetched, but she felt that Dib would've been standing with a proud posture and gloating about a victory if it were the case. 

And it's not like Zim could've won, not only judging by his injuries, but the way he acted as well. He was known to be loud and obnoxious, and totally would've rubbed a victory in Dibs face. 

But no, the Zim she'd witnessed was more reserved, quiet and almost depressed. 

Gaz was usually decently efficient in finding out what happened to her brother, but this admittedly was harder to figure out. 

Dib would tend to spew words out in a hasted tone, speaking about whatever mystery he was supposedly solving. 

But he didn't, not this time. 

He hadn't rambled about anything that happened between the two, he hadn't ever since Zim had shown up. 

No, no. It had started before that, not buy much, but it had started the night before she'd found them. 

Something that happened while he was out of the house that afternoon. 

When she'd walked into Dib's empty room, the window opened, after she'd heard a crashing sound from just outside. 

She remembered hearing their father scolding him for getting in a fight, Dib trying to defend himself, and then the loud echo of his door slamming.

Then of course, the obnoxiously loud thump from below his bedroom. 

The thought made her want to roll her eyes, he was so terrible at hiding the fact he's sneaking out. He was lucky that only Gaz paid mind to the sound, their dad was too busy with whatever science stuff he always did. 

And she wouldn't ignore how loud he was getting back in, she would've barged right in if it wasn't for the way his hushed voice spoke in ways that were so unDibly. 

If it wasn't for the way that another voice joined in, quieter and more cracked than the other. 

She'd pretended not to hear, that she was fast asleep, for once being grateful for their dad for being too busy with his stuff. 

Gaz sighed, her brother truly was more trouble than he was worth. 

But, even so, she wouldn't admit this out loud, but she didn't mind the trouble. 

Well, ok, maybe she did. 

But it was entertaining sometimes, to eat breakfast with your nerdy brother who's telling you about his adventures. 

It was annoying, but in a way, it was nice. It was like having a book read to you, even if it's not a genre you like, it's still cool to just listen to. 

She wasn't really sure why she was fussing so much about him. 

Gaz wasn't too worried about her brother, the worst he could do is come back super early and wake her up. 

But she should probably text anyway. 

She reached for her phone, it was 2:38 AM, decently late, but Dib would probably still be awake. 

' Where are you? '

Gaz sent the message through, shutting the phone off once again afterwards. 

Turning her attention back to the console in her hands, she smirked to see she'd moved up a few levels already.

It took around an hour in her dazed thinking and game playing before he replied. 

It was 3:42 AM now, Gaz wasn't overly surprised by his late reply, it was likely he was just doing one of his random nerdy things. 

'Sorry spending the night at Zims"

She lightly chuckled at her brother's lack of concern for his grammar, before taking the message in. 

Spending the night at Zim's huh? So much for being enemy's. 

She smiled, stretching as she finally turned her gameslave two off. She admittedly felt a little more at ease knowing her stupid brother wasn't getting killed or something. 

Curling up in her bed, her plushies watching the room, Gaz closed her eyes and let sleep sink in.